[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 194 (Friday, December 16, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H9903-H9905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DISASTER RELIEF APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 
500, I call up the bill (H.R. 3672) making appropriations for disaster 
relief requirements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and 
for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 500, the bill 
is considered read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3672

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes, namely:

                        TITLE I--DISASTER RELIEF

                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

                  Federal Emergency Management Agency

                          disaster relief fund

       For an additional amount for the ``Disaster Relief Fund'' 
     for major disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), $6,400,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by 
     the Congress as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                      DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--CIVIL

                         DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

                       Corps of Engineers--Civil

                   mississippi river and tributaries

       For an additional amount for ``Mississippi River and 
     Tributaries'' for necessary expenses for repair of damages to 
     Federal projects resulting from a major disaster declared 
     pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
     Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.), 
     $802,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
     That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for 
     disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: 
     Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army 
     for Civil Works shall submit to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     a monthly report detailing the allocation and obligation of 
     these funds, beginning not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

                       operation and maintenance

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance'' 
     for necessary expenses to dredge navigation channels in 
     response to, and repair damage to Corps projects resulting 
     from, a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.), $534,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by 
     the Congress as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the Assistant 
     Secretary of the Army for Civil Works shall submit to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate a monthly report detailing the allocation and 
     obligation of these funds, beginning not later than 60 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

                 flood control and coastal emergencies

       For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal 
     Emergencies'', as authorized by section 5 of the Act of 
     August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), for necessary expenses to 
     prepare for flood, hurricane, and other natural disasters and 
     support emergency operations, repair, and other activities as 
     authorized by law, in response to a major disaster declared 
     pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
     Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.), 
     $388,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
     That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for 
     disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: 
     Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army 
     for Civil Works shall submit to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     a monthly report detailing the allocation and obligation of 
     these funds, beginning not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

              TITLE II--COMBATING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE

                     Social Security Administration

                 limitation on administrative expenses

       For an additional amount for continuing disability reviews 
     under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act and for 
     the cost associated with conducting redeterminations of 
     eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act, not 
     more than $483,484,000 may be expended, as authorized by 
     section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act, from any one or 
     all of the trust funds referred to therein: Provided, That 
     such amount is additional new budget authority specified for 
     purposes of subsection 251(b)(2)(B) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and shall be 
     treated for such purposes as being included under this 
     heading in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
     Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
     Act, or any continuing appropriation Act, for fiscal year 
     2012.

                      TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISION

       Sec. 301.  Each amount appropriated or made available in 
     this Act is in addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for 
     the fiscal year involved.
       This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Relief 
     Appropriations Act, 2012''.


[[Page H9904]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and 
the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise to present H.R. 3672, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 
which is the third bill in our final appropriations package for fiscal 
year 2012.
  This bill provides a total of $8.1 billion in funding for critical 
aid and recovery assistance for disaster emergencies. Of this total, 
$6.4 billion will go to FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. This includes 
funding for fire assistance, emergency declarations, major disasters, 
surge operations, and disaster readiness support.

                              {time}  1310

  In addition, these funds will help cover costs from large-scale 
previous disasters such as the summer 2011 tornadoes and Hurricane 
Irene.
  We've had a historic chain of disasters in this country over the last 
year or so.
  The legislation also provides $1.7 billion in funding for disaster 
recovery assistance through the Army Corps of Engineers. This funding 
will help repair damage to critical infrastructure caused by recent 
storms and floods and will help prepare for future disaster events. 
This total adheres to the total disaster funding level agreed to under 
the Budget Control Act this past summer.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, to provide our 
communities and families with the support they need as they recover 
from these devastating natural disasters.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This year natural disasters have had devastating impacts on the lives 
of many Americans. Today we are considering a bill that provides relief 
to those severely damaged communities.
  In total, the bill provides $8.1 billion in vital funding to rebuild 
areas affected by numerous horrific disasters in 2011, as well as 
funding long-term rebuilding needs that date back as far as Hurricane 
Katrina. Of the $8.1 billion, $6.4 billion is for FEMA.
  This funding will meet the Federal commitment to restore impacted 
areas after hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and severe snowstorms. 
Almost every State and territory will receive a portion of this 
funding. With the adoption of this bill, families and businesses will 
receive the funding they need for vital recovery and rebuilding 
efforts.
  The bill also provides $1.7 billion to repair damage to Corps of 
Engineers facilities, roughly equal to the need identified by the Corps 
within Presidentially declared disaster areas.
  In nearly every year since 1997, the Congress has recognized the need 
to provide funding to respond to natural disasters. This bill 
recognizes that responsibility.
  I urge strong support of this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
distinguished chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on 
Appropriations, the gentlelady from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson).
  Mrs. EMERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
  I'm so relieved that this measure today will provide desperately 
needed funds for emergencies and disasters which occurred all over the 
country this past year.
  For most Americans, the thought of the suffering caused by tornadoes 
and floods fades with the newspaper headlines. Months later, though, so 
many in our country are still trying to recover from storms and events 
that took them from their homes, their livelihoods, their safety, or 
all of the above. This funding and a reminder of their plight are very 
important to call to mind as we vote upon this measure.
  I'd like to recognize these folks in southern Missouri who have been 
through it all and have set such a remarkable example and have really 
come out fighting. We have:
  Wendell Choate, who's over 80 years old, and his daughter Beth, who 
runs their sweet corn farm of several thousand acres. All of it was 
destroyed;
  Brother Bennett, who lived in the floodway for over 80 years. He lost 
his home;
  Milus and Wanda Wallace. They lost their home and so much of their 
land was damaged by scouring;
  Lynell and Mary Robinson, along with the entire historic black 
community of Pinhook, including the Williams and the Strahorns;
  Randy Sutton, Ellot Rafferty, the Story family, the Dugan family, 
Eddie Marshall, Lester Goodin, Carlin Bennett, our presiding 
commissioner, and Kevin Mainard, mayor of East Prairie and a farmer in 
the floodway.
  Mr. DICKS. I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Indiana, the ranking member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Mr. 
Visclosky.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I rise in strong support of the legislation.
  I would like to begin my remarks by indicating that I consider 
investing in our water infrastructure as a key component in disaster 
relief, that is if we can avoid disasters in the first place. We 
prevent harm, and we certainly save the taxpayers much money.
  Several years ago, perhaps, if we had made an adequate investment in 
water infrastructure, we might not have avoided the issue of spending 
more money in one city in this country in one year, New Orleans, than 
we did on every water project in the United States of America combined.
  In the omnibus bill that we have just considered, we have increased 
funding for the Army Corps over the budget request and over last year's 
level. However, despite the best efforts of the subcommittee, we are 
still $443 million below that provided to the Corps in fiscal year 
2010. At these levels, we are not close to addressing the Corps backlog 
of navigation and flood control projects. That is why I am pleased 
today to rise in support of this bill that does provide $1.7 billion in 
Corps disaster relief funding. This has been an extraordinary flood 
season. Further, in August, Hurricane Irene caused significant damage.
  Assuming there are no additional natural disasters in 2012, this 
funding appears adequate to address damages within Presidential 
declared disaster areas. However, my colleagues should be aware there 
are damages to the tune of $233 million which must be addressed at 
locations outside declared disaster areas for which the bill does not 
provide funding.
  Again, we must note that there are no moneys provided for emergencies 
that may occur between now and October 1 of 2012. We know that, 
potentially, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes 
will occur. So I will simply conclude by saying that moving forward--
and again, I strongly support this bill--we must, as an institution, 
have the intestinal fortitude to budget for emergencies in anticipation 
of them on an annual basis.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to yield back if 
the gentleman is.
  Mr. DICKS. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time and urge an ``aye'' vote.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I voted to support funding our Nation's 
disaster relief programs for an additional year. However, I remain 
unsatisfied by the work Congress has engaged in this year regarding our 
Nation's budgeting for disaster. The funding we included this year for 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers 
is significant, but it is likely that the cost of next year's disasters 
outstrip even those significant sums.
  Worldwide, disasters last year caused a record $350 billion in 
damage, much of it not covered by insurance. In the U.S., two storms 
alone--the tornadoes of April and May--in the Southeast cost more than 
$14 billion. These losses were absorbed by those who suffer from the 
disaster, by insurers, and by Federal agencies. In the end, the 
taxpayers are on the hook to protect our communities, to aid those who 
have lost loved ones, homes, and possessions, and to rebuild what is 
lost. The amount we have appropriated this year will be insufficient to 
accommodate these tasks in the year ahead; when the money runs out, 
Congress will have to take action in an emergency setting to ensure an 
adequate Federal response.
  What is needed is not merely an increase in these budgets. Congress 
must find the time and resources to focus on prevention, and to 
strengthen the programs that minimize this

[[Page H9905]]

damage when inevitable storms and disasters befall us. Our emergency 
response should be robust, but our preventative efforts should be 
irreproachable and I urge my colleague to help prevent the next 
disaster, not merely respond to it.
  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this disaster relief 
measure and urge all of my colleagues to support it.
  The $8.1 of funding contained in this measure for FEMA and the Corps 
of Engineers is vitally important to a lot of communities around the 
country, including those communities in Missouri River Basin in Iowa 
and other States.
  FEMA monies go a long way in restoring communities hit by natural 
disasters, both in terms of individual aid and assistance to 
communities for infrastructure repair and rebuild.
  The funds for the Corps of Engineers in the bill are also important, 
particularly for restoration of flood control infrastructure, and 
damage to other infrastructure.
  This past spring and summer in southwest Iowa, the residents 
experienced enormous damage to their communities, their homes, their 
farms and their small businesses. The damage that resulted has climbed 
well into the multi-millions--and is still rising in some cases. That 
is why this money is especially meaningful. It shows that we in the 
Congress are aware of the needs at the local level, and will provide 
the assistance required.
  I intend to continue to work with my fellow committee members, and 
the Water Resources Subcommittee in the Transportation & Infrastructure 
Committee to restore flood control infrastructure in S.W. Iowa, and to 
carry out the necessary repairs and rebuild activities.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Woodall). All time for debate has 
expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 500, the previous question is ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question 
will be postponed.

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